1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hinge pin for a spring loaded pivoted shaft gear box for a naval turret drive system.
2. Background of the Invention
Drive gear boxes for rotating turret drive systems are spring loaded into mesh with their stationary platform bull gears so as to minimize the backlash between the drive and the bull gears to thereby improve the stability and the accuracy of the turret system. The heavy loading on the hinge pivot shaft of the gear box and the usually very small rotational movement of this hinge pivot shaft combine to force lubricant out from between this hinge pivot shaft and its bearings, producing metal to metal contact which in turn produces fretting and resultant failure of these parts.
Turret drive systems of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,600,943, issued to Hozlak on Sept. 21, 1926;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,404,907, issued to Heynan on July 30, 1946;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,447,487, issued to Chinn on Aug. 24, 1948;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,484,869, issued to Zeidler on Oct. 18, 1949;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,528,645, issued to Edwards on Nov. 7, 1950;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,791,156, issued to Henstrom on May 7, 1957;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,491,608, issued to Duplessis on Dec. 20, 1949;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,132, issued to Biermann et al on Oct. 8, 1963;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,222, issued to Whiston et al on Feb. 25, 1969; and
U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,009, issued to Kongelbeck on Feb. 11, 1975.